Margaret Mary Emily Anne Hyra (born November 19, 1961), professionally known as Meg Ryan, is an American actress and producer. Raised in Bethel, Connecticut, Ryan began her acting career in 1981 in minor roles, before joining the cast of the CBS soap opera As the World Turns in 1982. Subsequently, she began to appear in supporting roles in big screen films during the late 1980s, achieving recognition in several independent films such as Promised Land (1987), before her performance in the Rob Reiner-directed romantic comedy When Harry Met Sally… (1989) made her a star.

Between 1990 and 2004, Ryan was a bankable star and played leading roles in several romantic comedy films, including Sleepless in Seattle (1993), French Kiss (1995), Addicted to Love (1997), City of Angels (1998), You’ve Got Mail (1998), and Kate & Leopold (2001), grossing a total of over $870 million worldwide. At that time, TIME critic Richard Corliss called her “the current soul of romantic comedy.”